System and method for semi-automated guided audio production and distribution

Abstract

A method for creating a digital audio production. The method includes receiving two or more audio segments, including at least one audio segment that is captured by a sound recording device, receiving user input related to the two or more audio segments, receiving a record plan comprised of a first part that is based on the user input and a second part that is determined automatically based on the user input, and recording the digital audio production from the two or more audio segments based on the record plan.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for creating a digital audio production comprising the steps of:
 receiving two or more audio segments, including at least one audio segment that is captured by a sound recording device;   receiving user input related to the two or more audio segments;   receiving a record plan comprised of a first part that is based on the user input and a second part that is determined automatically based on the user input; and   recording said digital audio production from the two or more audio segments based on the record plan.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein first part of the record plan comprises a chronological ordering of at least a portion of the two or more audio segments in the digital audio production after the recording step. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second part of the record plan comprises audio processing steps that are determined and configured automatically based on user input. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising the step of automatically applying the audio processing steps to at least one of the two or more audio segments prior to the recording step, based on the second part of the record plan. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising the step of automatically applying the audio processing to the digital audio production following the recording step, based on the second part of the record plan. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 compressing the digital audio production to form a digital file suitable for digital distribution; 
 digitally distributing the digital file according to the user input. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 storing the at least one audio segment captured by the sound recording device to local storage that is local to the sound recording device; and 
 wirelessly transmitting the at least one audio segment from the local storage to remote storage prior to the recording step. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the local storage is a memory of the sound recording device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of providing a display device configured to display a user interface (UI) and a user input device for receiving the user input. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the user interface comprises functional elements associated with the two or more audio segments and wherein the position of the functional elements within the UI determines the chronological ordering the two or more audio segments. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  further comprises providing a host UI and a host user input device configured to receive input from a host and providing a guest UI and a guest user input device configured to receive input from one or more guests. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein content of the host UI differs from content of the guest UI. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of providing a session invite to each of the one or more guests before the guest UI is provided to the user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of receiving user input via the user input device to reposition the functional elements within the UI for modifying the chronological ordering of the two or more audio segments. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of displaying a content guide in the UI for displaying information associated with the functional elements that are currently displayed in the UI. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least two of the two or more audio segments are captured by separate sound recording devices, wherein the at least two audio segments are stored locally to a local storage of each of the sound recording devices, and wherein the at least two audio segments are wirelessly transmitted to a remote storage and are then processed according to the record plan. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of creating two or more individual episodes of the digital audio production, wherein each episode comprises a first audio segment that is universal to all of the two or more episodes and separate second audio segments that are unique to each of the two or more episodes. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the steps of:
 after creating two or more individual episodes of the digital audio production, modifying the record plan to replace the first audio segment with a new first audio segment; and 
 re-creating the two or more individual episodes of the digital audio production, wherein each episode comprises the new first audio segment that is universal to all of the two or more episodes and separate second audio segments that are unique to each of the two or more episodes. 
 
     
     
         19 . A digital audio file comprising:
 two or more audio segments combined according to an ordering of the two or more audio segments that is specified by a user,   wherein at least one of the two or more audio segments is audio processed, using predetermined audio processing steps that are determined automatically in response to receipt of the ordering of the two or more audio segments, prior to being combined with another one of the two or more audio segments, and   wherein the ordering does not include any audio processing steps.   
     
     
         20 . An audio production and distribution system for creating and distributing a digital audio show comprising two or more related but separate episodes, the system comprising:
 a processor and a storage device, wherein the storage device stores instructions executable by the processor to execute:
 a setup module for receiving show-level user input related to show-level portions of the show that are repeated in each episode; 
 a plan module for receiving episode-level user input related to episode-level portions that are unique to each episode of the show and for arranging show-level portions and episode-level portions according to a record plan; 
 a record module for receiving recorded show-level audio segments and recorded episode-level audio segments; 
 a preview module for audio processing recorded audio segments, for ordering and combining the recorded audio segments to form an unprocessed episode, and for audio processing unprocessed episodes to form finished episodes; and 
 a review module for distributing finished episodes.